London, Asharq Al-Awsat- High ranking Al Qaeda member, Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim has revealed that the terrorist group’s second in- command Ayman Al-Zawahiri has not used any forms of modern communication such as telephones (land lines or wireless), e-mails or the Internet for over four years, regardless of the severity of his circumstances.

The wanted terrorist attributed Al-Zawahiri’s reluctance to using modern forms of communication technology to the on-going security crack down as a part of the international war on terrorism.

In a statement received by Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday, Al-Hakim also denied that Al-Qaeda was collaborating with the recently detained Islamist Egyptian lawyer Mamdouh Ismail, who has been charged by Egyptian authorities for heading what is known as the “Egyptian Project” of Al-Qaeda.

Al-Hakim elaborated saying, “If the Al Qaeda movement decided to operate in any country, it would not assign such task to any of the well-known Islamist leaders or those who had been arrested inside or outside Egypt. These are the basic rules of our work.”

The director of al Makrizi center for historical studies in London, Egyptian Islamist Dr. Hani al-Siba’I told Asharq Al-Awsat, “The telephone is the worst enemy of Mujahideen and Al-Zawahiri knows this clearly.” He pointed out that Al-Zawahiri does not underestimate his enemies and does not like taking risks since their perils are graver than their benefits. Al-Zawahri knows well that he is universally wanted and that Americans are the best in wiretapping technology. He pointed out that Al-Zawahri had isolated himself; for fear that any mistake would lead to the exposure of his whereabouts. He also said that Bin Laden’s deputy deals with “Sahab” institution and a few members of Egyptian Jihad movement. These Jihad members are the ones who prepare the groups video and audio tapes as well as posting them on the Internet and delivering them to Arab satellite channels.